Your Child's First Day

How long should you stay?
Please try to stay for the amount of time agreed upon at the meeting with staff who attended your home visit.
If your child needs extra settling time the staff will help you with this.

What should you bring?
A set of spare clothes (with your child’s name in)
A comforter or toy (please make sure this is named)
If your child is not toilet trained then please provide nappies and wipes

An example of what you could do when you first arrive:

When coming into Pre-School, help your child to find his/her name and put it on the name board

Help your child identify their named coat peg and hang up his/her coat/bag

Find one of the staff members who came on your child’s Home Visit who will introduce your child to the activities on offer

If your child wants you to play, then join in at first, talk to the other children with your child

Once your child is settled at an activity, try to move away, but keep within sight. Gradually move out of sight of your child

Once your child seems happy to play without you present (for more than five minutes), inform your child you are going to go out of the room for a minute but will be back

If your child accepts, leave the room and wait in the office, the staff member who went on your Home Visit will support your child and where necessary, call you back

If your child does not accept, wait a little while longer

This process may take longer than one session, but will work in the end!

What should you expect?
Your child may not want to take part in any activities, particularly story time, circle time, singing or tidy up time. Please do not worry; it takes time for children to be comfortable to do these things with unfamiliar people. Some children settle quite quickly for the first two weeks but then seem to need more reassurance and you may need to begin the settling process again.

Most importantly, don’t worry!
The Pre-School staff have experienced the settling in process with many children and have comforted many parents as well as children!

Remember, we are here to support you and your child at this important time so talk to us if you have any concerns however small.